Saturday, July 7, 2007

Canyon X




Just returned from a great 3 day adventure with fellow photographers Derek Von Breisen and Dean Hueber -

We headed up to Canyon X just outside Page Arizona - Left Sedona at 3:30 am and was shooting in the Canyon by 7:30 - Canyon X (not Canyon 10), is located near Page, Arizona. It is on Navajo land that is privately run and is fenced off. Overland Tour are the only ones authorized to operate tours into Canyon X. Jackson Bridges, a very accomplished photographer was a guide for the day.

Canyon X is actually an extention of the famous Antelope Canyon, and exhibits many of the same characteristics. Carved out of solid blocks of sandstone over millions of years, these slot canyons are very fluid in shape. Twisting and turning, curves of every imaginable shape and size have been carved out by flash floods carrying tremendous amounts of water and silt through crevices in the rock. Over the millenia these canyons were formed, and continue to evolve.

We trudged back and forth between the upper and lower sections on Canyon X - perfectly time to catch the best light in each spot. The temperatures reach a 110 that day - thankfully the inner slots are much cooler and shadyer.

After shooting there all morning we headed back to hotel in page and jumped in the pool and soaked in the cool water under the blazing sun - such a life! We headed out to Waterholes canyon to catch the late evening light and sunset. We met up with friend and photographer Gary Ladd for dinner at a Mexican Restaurant in Page that claims to have "The worlds best Margeritas" - they are right!!!

We shot Horseshoe Bend and Lower Antelope the next morning them headed out to Alstrom Point. This place is very hard to find and has almost 30 miles of dirt road to get to, but it's worth every minute. This Overlook of Padre Bay on Lake Powell an awesome sight especially during a full moon!